Prison Warden

Model of a Warden

The book on the model warden had a lot of helpful insights on how to run and manage and effective prison system. One of the best things I think the book did was mentioning a few wardens in the past, and explain how they used the proactive approach to manage. It is very important to know what steps you want to take as a warden or a leader in any situation. Frank Wood knew his approach and carefully realayed the message and this why he was effective. The style of management by wardens can have a huge effect on the standard of living, freedom of the individual needs of all inmates.

Frank Wood knew what style of management he could impose on his staff members. I think that he really knew how to relate his management to the size of the group he was trying to led, he knew that some type of authoritarian management had to be used to accomplish his goal of a humane and respectful prison. He was also good at using the effects or critics of his style, and this helped him run his organization more effectively.

When running an institution I think there are two things you really have to focus on and they are problems of size and training. In Stillwater violence was increasing and the dangers in the prison were becoming more complex, which made the jobs of staff more intense. So to ensure the best safety for staff and inmates I would adapt to change in the institution. A prison has to be able to do more than just survive, it needs to be able to get better. I think new technology is making this possible, because some of the ways in which things use to be ran are out dated and simply do not apply to institutions today. Teamwork and planning before hand is the key. I would teach my staff how to work together, because everybody needs to contribute their own knowledge and work together as a team. However the larger the group the more difficult it would be to achieve this.

Everybody knows that it is easier to give people an order than to combine their thoughts. However this results in making the institution less effective. The inability of managers to manage can result in more authoritarian management which in fact makes matters worse. One of the main problems facing management today is effective teamwork.

Training is also a good approach and can be given to make staff more effective and make organizations and teamwork more effective. Training also needs to be based on the knowledge we have. The need for staff to be trained is important, so we also need to consider what can go wrong and how it can get worse.

Norman Carlson

The difference between Norman Carlson and other leaders was his compassion rather than a mission focused mind. He knew what good leadership was about and then drew conclusions from examples. He did everything a great leader was suppose to do, and also told others how to be much more effective. He was not somebody people hated to deal with, which made it easier for him to supervisor, manager, and lead the institution. He made sure that jobs got done efficiently and well, which took care of future by planning.

He was also very active around the prison meaning he would catch people and talk to them. Showing up a lot is the key behavior of top leaders, and Carlson got benefits from it. He got to know his staff, because by being around them he found out who did what well and who needed attention when. By watching what they did he also found out what the real issues were. Great leaders are great communicators and they learn how by showing up a lot. That's where they learn what communication style is best. By showing up a lot great leaders get the opportunity to share their ideas about the direction and purpose of the organization.

Great leaders also think about the kinds of situations they might face by being proactive. They plan for them, and run through them in their mind. Carlson kept the future in mind, and remained aware of the future consequences of his decisions. He thought farther ahead than most of his peers. I think the advantage of planning is that it helps you recognize changing future situations. Great leaders pay attention to the future, because it's their job to choose the path for their organization. Without proactive thinking leaders are forced to rely on spare of the moment ideas to deal with new situations, and in today's institutions that doesn't work.

What does it mean to be a great leader?

Great leaders manage their groups so that it is best for staff to do what's in the organization's best interest. Great leaders spend a lot of time making sure that their people understand exactly what they expect and what the consequences of behavior are. They do this by spending time with individuals and groups, practicing active listening